Snow Stalker, More Then Meets The Eye
by ShortySilly16
Summary: Cheetor comes across a baby snow leopard and adopts it, though there seems to be more to the kitten then meets the eye. I have done some correcting in chapter one, sense it's pretty long I've gone through it 3 times now and am still finding mistakes, guess that's what I get for doing it late at night without spell check.
1. Chapter 1: Beginnings and More

"Cheetor!" The commander called.

A spotted golden yellow cat entered the command center of the base. "Ya, what is it boss bot?"

"I need you for a mission in the mountains, there's a large deposit of energon, and Megatron, I know, is going to go after it."

"You can count me in!" Cheetor said with his usual enthusiasm.

"Rhinox, you stay here, I'll call for back up if we need it."

A low growl was heard in the room as a raptor entered the room."You and Cheetor won't be enough, I'm coming to.. It's been a.. While sense I've been in combat.."

"No, I want you keeping an eye out for the Predacons, they might use this as an opportunity to attack and.."Optimus started only to be interrupted again by Dinobot.

"And if your attacked you'll be slag in a few nano clicks!" Dinobot shouted over him.

"I don't have any problem with him coming along, I mean it might be good to have one extra with us, you know, just in case.." Cheetor agreed quietly.

Optimus sighed. "Ok, you can come, But I want everyone else to stay here unless I give the order, got it?"

Tigertron, Airrazor, Rattrap and Rhinox nodded in understanding.

"You ain't gotta tell me twice." Rattrap stated, as he spoke the scanners beeped, rattrap turned to look. The screen showed a

purple dot, where the energon was, and two Predacon symbols."looks like you better hurry though, I hope old chopper face doesn't slow ya down," Rattrap kidded.

Dinobot growled but stepped onto the elevator, Cheetor and Optimus followed suit.

Mean while...

"Tarantulas are you sure we're heading the right way?" Megatron shouted over the wind and snow, the blizzard was harsh, even for for a robot, water melting and refreezing wasn't exactly good on their joints.

"Yes I'm Sure! You should transform, the snow won't get into your joints as bad!" The spider replied, one of his legs shielding his eyes as he fought against the wind in his creepy crawly spider mode.

Megatron growl, then shouted aloud, "Beast Mode!" His parts shifting into place, taking the shape of a purple t-Rex with a green tummy.

They walk further up the mountain, soon the spider spotted what they had been looking for. "There! There it is! It's just up ahead!" Tarantulas pointed to a cave. "And the Maximals are no where to be seen.." he added, rubbing his front two legs together with an evil laughter.

"Think again!" Optimus called, the Predacons looked up, on the ledge above the cave, Cheetor, Optimus and Dinobot appeared, all battle ready, guns in hand. "Open fire!" Their leader commanded, all three of the Maximals fired at the two Preds, both transforming and returning fire.

"Be careful you fool! If you destroy the cave the energon will blow!" Tarantulas reminded Megatron as he shoot two blasts at Optimus, who quickly jumped out of the way, and down in front of the cave.

"Er! You don't have to tell me that!" He retorted, firing a couple more blasts, one at Dinobot, who followed Optimus's example and jumped down in front of the cave, the other at Cheetor who fell back as the shot landed it's blow. "If we hit that, the whole area might blow! For all we know it could be on a vain!"

"Cheetor!" Optimus called just as a blast from Megatron landed on his shoulder, forcing him backward, and tumbling on the ground, stopping a few feet back. Optimus put a hand on his damaged circuits, looking up to the approaching Megatron.

"Rawh!" Dinobot yelled, bright green lazors shooting out of his eyes at Megatron, hitting him once, twice, three times, then stopped as Optimus got back up. "Give it up Megatron your here all by yourself.."

"WHAT?" Megatron looked back to where Tarantulas had been, only to find the spider hauling tail. The titan growled, "This isn't over Maximals! No..." Megatron transformed to beats mode, and turned running back in the direction of his own base.

Dinobot growled as he watched the defeated tyrant run away, he looked down at Optimas "Are you ok?" He asked.

"Ya, I'm fine.. where's Cheetor?" was the leaders reply.

"I'm right here!" The feline robot popped out from behind the cave.

"Where were you? We could have used your cover.." Dinobot snarled as he breathed in, "Optimus is wounded, as you where over here, doing.. what may I ask?" Dinobot interrogated.

"Oh!" Cheetor turned around, picking something up, it was small fuzzy, white with black spots. "It's a baby snow leopard, I found it when I got blasted by Megs, I don't see the poor things mom around any where either..."

"Hmm.. that Is rather unfortunate.." Optimus said already knowing where this was going.

"OH! I know, how about we keep it? I'll feed 'em and take care of it, Please big bot, Please?"

"No! It needs to stay in it's natural habitat, the base is no home for a natural being." Optimus refused.

"Oh but please?"Cheetor pleaded, reminding Dinobot of some kind of youngster.

The commander sighed, "I hear one peep out of that thing and it's gone, you got me?" Optimus said.

"Woo Who!" Cheetor spun around holding the cat in his arms, it nussled his chin and jumped down, it's new care taker then knelled down and

petted the young cub. Cheetor transformed to his beast mode, so did Optimus and Dinobot.

Dinobot growled crossing his arms in disapproval."I can't believe your going to let him keep that.. that.. ball of fluff!"

"Believe me, he'd keep it even if I said no.." Optimus said coolly. "Now come on we need to get out of this snow or our joints will freeze over and we'll be stuck out here till spring." spoke the leader heading into the cave.

The 3 maximals got started on harnessing the energon, at lest until the snow cub wanted to play. She got under Dinobots feet like cats do, rubbing her head against his leg and meowing, Dinobot stopped and looked down stepping away from it.

"get this fuzz ball away from me! There is work to be done!"

"Aww but she likes you! She just wants to play." Cheetor said, amused at Dinobots dis-pleasure.

"Dinobot, I want you and Cheetor to take this big piece back to base, I'll stay here and make sure that Megatron doesn't come back for more." Optimus stated.

"But Optimus your damaged, you should go to the CR chamber." Cheetor worried.

"I'll be fine, I want you two to be careful though sense Megatron knows I'm not at base he's probably tried something.."

"Come, we best be going.." Dinobot turned around, Optimus attached one end of the large blue crystal to him with cords.

Cheetor stepped next to Dinobot, Optimus doing the same thing, tying the energon to him.

Dinobot and Cheetor made their way back to base, the new cub sitting on the crystal as the bots dragged it along..

"I still need to name you." Cheetor said looking back to the leopard."hmm.. how about.. Snow Stalker? ya, that sounds good."

"ugh, how pathetic.."Dinobot grumbled under his breath.

"I heard that! You should try lightening up and enjoy some of the smaller things in life Dinobot, it might do you some good."

Dinobot let a sighing growl escape his throat. The newly named Snow Stalker jumped from the crystal to Dinobots back, he turned and looked at the fuzz ball, her green eyes gleaming in the dim light as the sky cleared, the snow blizzard had stopped for sometime now.. But that was only for a moment as the cub licked Dinobots nose causing him to shiver in disgust."UH!" He growled and quickened his pace.

Upon entering at their base, Dinobot and Cheetor where greeted by Rhinox who took the crystal of energon into another room down the hall.

"So, uh, who's the new kid?" Rattrap asked.

"Oh meet Snow Stalker, I found her out by the energon cave, and Optimus is still out there, he wanted to make sure that Megas didn't get any of the goods" Cheetor answered.

"Tigertron, Airazor, go help Optimus with the rest of the deposit would you?" Rhinox asked the nature loving robots.

Tigertron nodded. turning into a white tiger, Airrazor turned into a falcon. "We'll call if we need more help." The tiger stated simply before hopping on the elevator to leave..

Dinobot transformed back, the leopard cub falling off onto the floor, she had been on his back the whole trip nearly. Dinobot snarled at her, she looked up at him with big eyes, her head slightly tilted, looking as cute as she possibly could. "This cub is of no use, it will be a hindrance if anything."

"Don't say that, maybe we can teach her to warn us when she sees a Predacon.." Cheetor said just after transforming himself.

"Ha! If such a thing where possible, we could grab every furry in sight and use them instead of Sentinel."

"Rauwr!"The young cat sounded, looking at a monitor, a Predacon, Inferno, peeking from behind a rock, then ducked down again.

"Ha, see, she's not as worthless as you thought!" Cheetor said, pushing a couple buttons on the dash, shortly after a couple of the auto guns fired at the ant, he fell back, swirls in his eyes. "I'm sorry my queen I failed!" He soon got up and ran off.

"Hmm, that seemed pretty weird, why would just Inferno try to attack us?" Rattrap pointed out.

"Hmm.." Rhinox thought for a moment, "Dinobot, Rattrap, I need you two to do a sweep through the base, I'm sure it's a distraction.."

"You got it big green. You comin' or what?" the rat said already grabbing his gun to start his sweep through the inside of the base."I'll get the inside, you cover the outside."

"Negative, I don't take orders from a mouse! I'll look through the inside, you cover the outside!"

"Oh whatever! You've been here for 5 clicks and you're already starting to grinding my gears!" Rattrap got on the elevator and went outside.

Dinobot started down the hallway where everyone's recharging quarters where, sword out in normal fashion with Snow Stalker not far behind, being surprisingly quiet. Voices up ahead Dinobot stopped, then stepped closer to the wall. He slowly and quietly made his way closer, staying close to the wall. He looked cautiously around a corner, it was Terrorsaur and Waspinator, it looked like they where implanting a bomb of some sort. Dinobot snarled, then turned the corner and shot his lazors at them.

"AH!" Terrorsaur yelled, Waspinator was blown against the wall in from of him, Terrorsaur transformed into a flying dinosaur, and went up and out through the hatch in the ceiling.

The slagged Waspinator twitched and muttering under his breath "Waspinator always blasted into bits.. Why Waspinator?" coughing up a small black cloud of smoke, transformed and exited the ship through the same spot as Terrisaur.

Dinobot rushed over to the bomb. A red display showed there was 3 clicks and 2 nano clicks left before the bomb would explode, Dinobot immediately radioed Rattrap. "Rattrap come in, I have located a bomb in the base, there's 3 clicks left, get everyone out of the base and get your infernal self in here!"

"Ya, ya, I gotta do everything around here. I'll be there in a nano."

"Make it faster then that." Dinobot said, letting go of the transceiver. "this is why you shouldn't be here, the life of a warrior isn't for kittens like you.." He said looking down to Snow Stalker.

"rauwr.." was her reply, soft and sweet, she nudged Dinobots arm, then looked at the bomb, and swiped at a wire like it was some kind of play toy, knocking it loose. Dinobot panicked, and Rattrap, who just ran into the room just as the kitten did this. They covered their heads and faces, but nothing happened. Rattrap and Dinobot looked at each other, then the bomb. The screen had froze at zero, they then looked at the leopard cub.

"What the slag! That cat could have scrapped us all!" Rattrap exclaimed.

"Even if she hadn't done that.. we would have been scrap metal anyway.. hmm.." Dinobot looked Snow Stalker in the eye, analyzing her. "I think she may be.. More then it seems.."

"Your tellin' me! It's like she understands us! She spotted that Pred. on the screen, and defused a bomb, there's definitely Something up with this cat!" Rattrap said, "I'm gonna go ask Rhinox what the best way of disposing of this bomb would be, looks like it's been melted to the wall."

"Good idea.. " Dinobot then picked up Snow Stalker by the scruff of the neck, looking in to her eyes. She curled up like kittens do when handled this way, "And tell Cheetor to keep a closer eye on his 'pet'" Dinobot finished, dropping the cat in Rattraps hands.

Rattrap looked at the cat then Dinobot and then shrugged. "Alright, whatever you say." He said, turning around and heading to the command center.

Well the days went by, and Snow Stalker grew, she was now half way grown.

"Come on Snow Stalker I bet I can beat you to that rock!" Cheetor challenged the leopard.

"RAWR!" Snow Stalker roared in acceptance, and took off before Cheetor was even ready.

"Hey! Get back here! No fair!" He complained and took off after her, Cheetor caught up quickly, her paws pushing off the rock near the base just seconds before Cheetors, then something big green and brown where standing in the spot where she had run from, she put on her brakes quickly, stopping just inches from them. Cheetor on the other hand, and Rattrap, who was standing next to Rhinox, wasn't so fortunate.

"Ah!" Rattrap put out his hands to stop Cheetor, but it was too late. Cheetor ran into Rattrap at near full speed.

"Hey big green, whats going on?" Cheetor ask as he got off Rattrap, Rattrap's head was physically spinning, as he grabbing it to make it stop.

"I've come up with a new invention, and it should help us to communicate more with Snow Stalker." He pulled out a large round collar with a green gem that matched her eyes. He placed it around her neck, as she looked curiously down at it.

"Wow, it's different anyway, love the gem though." A voice emitted from the collar. The gem lite up in the rhythm of her words, Snow Stalker was speaking with out moving her black leopard lips.

"Wow! She can talk now! Ultra-gear!" Cheetor exclaimed.

"I say it was a waste of time making it.." Dinobot said grumpily. "Who needs to hear a wild animals foolishness?"

"Hey, I think it'd be fun!" Cheetor defended. "What do you think Snow Stalker?"

"I think it's great that I can finally express myself though thoughts and words" She replied contently closing her eyes and turning her nose up at the non-believer.

"Hmph, Maximals.." Dinobot said, turning away. "I'm off to scout patrol.."

"I'll go with you!" Snow Stalker said happily, quickly turning her attitude around as she sprung from her seat.

Dinobot growled. "No, you stay here, Rhinox should watch for any glitches in your collar." He rejected, now walking away.

Snow Stalker sighed. "He's always so difficult.."

"Ya that's Dino-butt for ya, always wearing a chip on his shoulder. He use to be a Predacon, but Optimus let him on our side, for what reason I got no idea. He's alright though, I guess," Rattrap shrugged.

"Really a Predacon? Hmm.. I wonder why I can't sense that in his spark.." Snow Stalker paused, and looked down at the collar. "This thing translates ALL of what I think into words? I better be more careful of what I think.."

Rhinox let out a chuckle. "I'm sure with practice you'll be able to control that. Though I have to ask, what do you mean by sense?"

Snow Stalker folded one of her ears back, and tilted her head thinking on his question. "I can't tell you exactly how, I'm not really sure myself. Though I don't think I've always been able to do it." She sighed, hanging her head for a moment, then she looked back up to Rhinox then Rattrap. "Sorry, I don't know more than that."

"Well you can't give us information you don't have. I'm going back inside, make sure there's no repairs that need done." The Cybertronian then turned back to the ship.

Rattrap patted the leopard on the head. "Hey you wanna hear a secret?"

"Sure. what is it?" Snow Stalker asked.

Rattrap leaned down and whispered in her ear, Snow Stalker busted out laughing. "By the matrix! I always wondered why his room smelled like that! Cheetor leaks coolant at night! Hahaha!" She proclaimed, rolling on the ground laughing.

"Rattrap! I'm going to skin you for that!" Cheetor yelled, running after the rodent.

Dinobot approached the look out point where Tigertron was. "I've come to relieve you, you may go back to the base, if you, ah, desire.." he breathed.

"There hasn't been any predicon activity, and the earth is still as well." Tigertron spoke.

"Hmm, good, it should be peaceful then." Dinobot said, transforming to his beast mode. He laid down near the ledge of the cliff looking out at the land as Tigertron walked away behind him.

"It's peaceful isn't it?" said a familiar voice behind Dinobot.

Dinobot immediately turned around while transforming. When his transformation had completed he saw it was only Snow Stalker. "What are you doing here? I told you to stay at base," the reptile stopped to growl."You stupid cat."

"I know, but you seemed to be in need of some company, so I thought I'd come by. And Rhinox said I should be fine, he's tested it a bunch of times."

Dinobot growled. "I don't need help from a cat for look out" he said, sitting back down, facing out at the land.

"Like I said I'm just here to try to cheer you up."

A sort of sighing growl emitted from Dinobot's throat. "Fine, just don't make a lot of noise."

"Of course not." was her simple reply, she laid down next to Dinobot and laid her head on his metallic lap. Dinobot was about to start petting her head, but then proceeded to stroke her fur, it was soft and natural.

It was sometime later when Dinobot woke up to the chuckles of Predacons, it was now morning and being caught off guard wasn't normal for a warrior like Dinobot. Scorpinock, Inferno, and Megatron all had their guns pointed at Dinobot, Snow Stalker wasn't anywhere to be seen, his choices, to get scrapped by their guns, or by the fall from the cliff.

"My my, what a surprise. Dinobot all alone." Tunted Megatron.

"Hehehe, shall I roast him for you Royalty? Then we can have a fest!" Inferno interjected.

"HA!" A flash of white knocked down Megatron.

"Ah! What the? A Fuzzy leopard? This is how you insult me?" Megatron said.

"Optimus, Prediaons at the.." Dinobot called then stopped as Megs knocked Snow Stalker off, then poising his gun at her about to shoot, Dinobot shot at megs gun, knocking his gun away, but an overwhelming fire was set loose on Dinobots back.

"AH!" Dinobot turned around and shot the gun from infernos hand, but Scorpinock took hold of Dinobots arms from behind, and Inferno picked up his gun, and used it to hit him in the head, knocking Dinobot unconscious.

"Dinobot! No, wake up!" Snow Stalker called.

"Hahaha, that was easier then I thought, Maximals are so foolish." Megatron laughed then turned to retreat back to base with his prize.

"Where do you think your going? Your not taking him anywhere!" Snowstalker shouted.

"Whats this? Kitty wants to play? I think you should give up before you get yourself hurt.."Megatron said, turning around his gun pointed directly at her, but as he did Snow Stalker jumped up, onto his arm, biting his throat. "AH! Get of of me you stupid cat!" Megs said, trying to grab her, inferno unleashed another flame in her direction while she was clamped onto Megs

neck, she jumped off as she heard the click of his trigger, letting Megatron get the full blast of heat. "AH! You idiot turn it off!"

"I'm so sorry my Queen, are you ok?"

"ARH! Go after her! I want her head on a silver platter!" Megatron commanded.

"Yes my queen!" Inferno bowed then took off after the running Snow Stalker. At this time Dinobot was in and out of consciousness. "Snow Stalker.." he mumbled, seeing her being chased by the preds, his vision blurred even more and then he was out again.

Snow Stalker ran quickly through the forest, Inferno hot on her trail. Leaves and twigs stirred up as she ran, Inferno was flying using his jet pack abdomen. "I could call out for Tigertron or Airazor, but if I do.. what kind of warrior would that make me? a coward that's what." Snow Stalker jumped up, turning around in mid-air, facing her enemy head on, and ran full speed towards him.

"Hi-ya!" Inferno yelled his battle cry, landing and turning on his fire hose, only to find, he was out of amo. "What, No!" Snow Stalker landed a strong blow with her paw to his optic sensors, knocking one out of place, it dropped down hanging by it's wires. "Ah! My eye!" Inferno yelled.

"You, blasted creature, will die!" Inferno stepped towards her again and she landed a bite at his knee hinge, making them buckle as he fell backwards to the ground, hitting his head on a good sized rock, immobilizing him for a short while.

Snow Stalker ran back to where the rest of the preds where. As soon as she saw Scorpinock with Dinobot she ran faster, pouncing on the arachnid, pushing his face into the dirt. "He's staying with me!"

"I don't think so.." Megatron pointed his gun at the leopard as she froze. "Game over.."

Dinobot had landed a few feet off as he stirred awake, he looked up to see Snow Stalker, her one paw still on Scorpinock's head, her face struck with fear and she couldn't move. But Scorpinock lifted himself up suddenly, distracting Megatron for a brief moment, allowing Snow Stalker to leap off. Dinobot blasted at Megatron and Scorpinock as many times as he could, over whelming them.

"Grr, Predacons retreat!" Megatron yelled in a high pitched voice after getting hit in a Very sensitive area between him legs. Inferno emerged from the forest, using his jet pack and took off in the sky the other two running on the ground.

Panting, the snow leopard walked over to Dinobot. "Are you ok?" Snow Stalker asked, worn out. "I..am fine, that was very foolish of you trying to take them on by yourself."

"Hey I wasn't about to let them take one of my allies away from me.. not on my watch." was her reply. "Plus if I had just ran away, I'd be no warrior at all.."

"How dare you call yourself a warrior!" He said getting up off the ground. "I should scrap you right now for giving yourself that title,!" He said pointing his sword at her throat, just above her collar. "A warrior doesn't freeze like that in the face of death! You must.. earn the title before you can call yourself one."

Snow Stalker looked down "Your right, forgive me, I am a coward.." She looked down at the ground, ears tucked back.

Dinobot growled and lowered his sword. "Next time don't freeze, it leaves you open to attack, instead act, surprise your enemy.." He said wisely.

Just then Optimus, Cheetor and Rhinox ran up. "Are you two ok? Where's the predicons?" Optimus asked.

"They are gone, Snow Stalker defeated them with some of my help."

"Woo! Good job girl!" Cheetor cheered, giving her a pat on the head.

"Ya, thanks" she said, her head still a bit low.

"Hey your not hurt are you?" Rhinox asked.

"No! I'm fine! No cause for concern" she said, laughing nervously as she stood up on all four paws.

"Hmm, alright, lets go. Cheetor, I want you to stay and keep watch." Optimus ordered coolly.

"You got it boss." Cheetor said, moving to sit by the cliff ledge.

"Hmm! Ow!" Snow Stalker cried out after taking a few steps, her ribs where bleeding. Rhinox turned to her and knelled next to her, looking at her side. "It must have been from when Megatron knocked me off of him.." She said squeezing her eyes from the pain. Rhinox transformed to a rhino so he could carry her, Optimus helped her up onto his thick skinned back.

"Stupid cat, you shouldn't have even been out here" Dinobot complained.

"Well it looks like you owe her." Rhinox said walking slowly.

"Yes, if she wasn't with you who knows what would have happened. By the way hows your head?" Optimus said pointing to a nice dent in Dinobot's forehead. "It doesn't take a genius to see that she saved you some how."

Dinobot growl "It's fine.. and she needs much more training.. She froze in the face of danger."

"Some how I don't think that's completely true, but she will train more under you." Opitmus said walking next to him.

"What? You expect me too..!"

"Yep. That way I know she's the best prepared even though she's flesh and blood."

Dinobot growled frustratedly. "Do you know howdifficault and pointless it will be?"

"I can imagined, but I'm sure you can do it, just make sure not to push her too far too fast, she has limits."

Dinobot growled at Optimus, but gave in. "Fine, I'll start with her as soon as she's fully recovered."

"No" Spoke Snow Stalker. "In one week, we'll start."

Dinobot looked at her for a moment, then agreed, "One week it is then.."

A week later, they did indeed start preparing.

"Now when you can pin me, that is when your training is over.." Dinobot said, side-stepping in a circular motion with the young cat.

"Got it now lets get started!" She said circling him as well.

"First we will fight, that way I can pin point exactly what are your trouble areas."

"Alright if your sure, you go first though."

"As you Wish, coward!" Dinobot yelled as he rushed her with his sword in hand, raised above his head. Snow Stalker jumped up high, Dinobot was off balance for a brief second then she landed on his back, causing him to fall on his knee. She jumped off behind him, growling and roaring at him.

"Is that all you have fearless warrior?" Snow Stalker retorted.

"I have yet to begin!" Dinobot turned around and blasted his lazors in her direction, she jumped to the side of it, missing her, and she ran in a circle around him, and landed a blow behind his knee joint with her paw, but he didn't buckle, at lest not near as much as she'd like, she dashed away and turned around facing him.

Dinobot smirked. "Your not that bad, still sloppy, and what will you do sense I'm not on my knees or face down in the dirt? I keep my knees bent so that I won't be caught unawares.." Dinobot put away his sword. "Perhaps this won't be as time wasting as I thought.."

About a month later, she'd been training everyday with Dinobot. She'd grown stronger, and wiser too in the way of battle. She was outside, striking a dummy that was prepared by Dinobot and Rattrap. Cheetor came out side, watching her.

"Wow, you've gotten a lot better at this."

Snow Stalker stopped for a moment, panting, keeping her eyes on the dummy. "Oh ya..? Thanks.. HA!" She yelled, clawing at it again.

"I'm actually kinda jealous, I'd like to learn a lot of what you have, I've always been a bad shooter.." Cheetor said looking down to his gun.

The white spotted cat landed a hard blow to the dummies head, knocking it clear off, it tumbled and rolled on the ground. "Why don't you try asking Dinobot if he'd teach you?"

"I don't think so, he's not exactly fond of me, or anyone for that matter here."

"Well get some balls and ask. I'm not asking for you Dad."

"Hey, I told you I'm not your dad."

"Ya I know, but your the closest thing I know to one, well you and Optimus."

Cheetor blushed and petted the leopards soft head.

"I will never know myself until I do this on my own,

and I will never feel anything else until my wounds are healed,

I will never be anything till I break away from me,

I will break away, I will find myself today."

A couple week passed..

Alarms in the base where sounding loudly, blasts hitting the ship.

"Blasted predicions, they took our auto guns down, we gotta go out there. Our shields are about to fail too." Rhinox informed the other maximals.

"Then lets go, this will be a chance to test your training Snow Stalker" Dinobot said, cocking his gun and stepped onto the elevator out, along with Snow Stalker and Rattrap. As soon as the three of them got out side, the two robotic maximals started shooting at the predicons, of whom returned their fire, and all three ran behind a boulder. Soon Optimus and Cheetor also joined the fight. Gun fire everywhere, Cheetor as he was about to fire at Scorpinok, was blasted in the arm by Tarantulas.

"Hehehe, I'll get you and your little cat too.."Terancules chuckled.

"I want you to try to take out Tarantulas." the warrior ordered his apprentice.

"What?"

"Your kidding right? You can't send her after the spider! He'll drink her blood if he gets his fangs into her!" Rattrap exclaimed.

"He's the only one here that she hasn't laid a paw on yet. She'll use her training to it's fullest extent."

"Ya, or die trying.." Rattrap mumbled.

"Well will you do it, or be a coward and freeze again?" Dinobot asked Snow Stalker.

The snow leopard straightened up, fluffing her furr, then held her ears back "Yes sir, I am ready"

Dinobot growled."Then stop wasting time." He commanded before shooting at the predicons more, covering her.

Snow Stalker took off as fast as she could, darting between rocks to get behind the predicons line, and continued to go from rock to rock sneaking behind Tarantulas, she got ready, shifting her paws softly in the dirt, but a rock by her back foot shifted, making unwanted noise. Tarantulas turned to look seeing the leopard he let out a yell and fired at her, she leaped into the air and pounced on him, clawing at his head. Landing blow after blow on his head, but she felt something on her back, point blank. "You move and you die" Blackaraknia said.

Snow Stalker froze for a moment, then went to turn around, but she pulled the trigger before snow Stalker could knock it out of her hand. The leopard fell to the ground in a small pool of blood. Snow Stalker looked up to her enemy snarling, trying to get back up, but failed each time.

"I wouldn't move if I was you, that was a powerful venom I just unleashed on you, it'll attack your tissues, first your fat and muscle, then your nerve and brain tissues, so if your buddies don't get the antidote to you within the next say... 24 hrs, your a goner!" The she-spider laughed evilly.

Mean-while the predicons where losing the fight for the maximales base once again, finally they all retreated, leaving Snow Stalker there to die.

"See you later kitten, or really I guess not! Ha ha ha!" The she-spider crackled as she aimed her gun at tall out cropping, and swung away.

"Hey-ya, where's the spotted kitten?" Rattrap asked Dinobot and Cheetor.

"I don't know, She went behind the predicons line and never came back.." Cheetor said grimly.

Dinobot got up. "You two stay here, I'll go look for her." Dinobot cautiously checked the surrounding area for her, eventually he looked behind the rock that Tarantulas had been hiding. He found her laying in a pool of her own blood, unconscious. "I need some help over here!" Dinobot yelled, he brought her immediately inside.

"For the first time you can open up your eyes,

and see the world without your sorrow,

no one knows the pain you left behind,

hold the piece you could never find,

just waiting there to hold and keep you,

welcome to the first day of your life,

just open up your eyes."

Rattrap clearing off the round table, and Dinobot laid her down on it.

"Someone get me some cloth, or something clean and absorbent!" Rhinox ordered as he sat down to the rounded table.

"What happened?" Optimus asked.

"Black widow poisoned.." was all the leopard could say.

"Blackaracnia?" Rattrap interpreted, Snow Stalker weakly nodded.

"Slag! I'll have to run tests to find out what kind. It could take a while, our equipment is for testing bots, not actual animals." Rhinox explained, taking some cleaning clothes from Cheetor.

"Just hang in there we'll be as quick as we can Snow Stalker." Optimus said with compassion, gently stroking her head.

"Someone should go after the she-spider, and ask her herself!" Dinobot exclaimed.

"Negative, a single bot might end up the same way, and I don't want to put anyone else in jeopardy. Besides we need to keep Snow Stalker calm.. or this could get worse quick." Optimus stood up and put a hand on Dinobots shoulder. "I think you'd be the best one to be by her side, you two have gotten pretty close during training, so we need you here, She needs you here, ok?"

Dinobot growled, and looked down. "Fine, but someone should at lest try to find out from the spider, hmm.. persuade her to talk.." he said, looking back up to his commander.

"Fine I'll get in contact with Tigertron and Airrazor, get them to do it." Optimus said, turning away, towards the command center.

Dinobot growled, then turned to his fading comrade, placing a hand on her. "Don't you be a coward," He growled again "and give in."

"I wouldn't.. dream of it, commander.." she said huskily, and then slipped from consciousness, her eyes slowly closed.

"Snow Stalker! Stay with us girl, you have to stay awake!" Cheetor yelled, shaking her front leg a little.

"Slag, the poison's acting faster then calculated. It's going to be a few cycles before I can even test her blood, and that in of it's self will take another cycle." Rhinox explained as he worked on a certain section of the C.R. chamber.

"Say uh, big green, how 'bouts we give her a robot body, ya know? Lest 'til we can fix her actual body? There isn't anytime like you said, at lest we can save a part of her." Rattrap suggested.

"Hmm, I don't know, what do you think1 Optimus, bout putting her in a mechanical body? That way if we can't save her actual body, she'll still survive."

"Hmm.. It could be possible, I think we should get her consent first, but sense she's not awake.." Optimus turned to Cheetor and Dinobot. "What do you two think?"

"I think it's a great idea!" Cheetor said, making his opinion clear.

Dinobot looked down, snarling lightly. "I don't think a cold.. metal body would be a very pleasant adjustment for her.. but.. do as you please.. a metal body is better then no body at all."

Optimus nodded, "Very well then. Rattrap, come help me get the designs and structure work one for the new body, then we'll get building it." Optimus and Rattrap left the room.

Sometime later, Rhinox finally got the testing equipment ready, just as he was putting the finishing touches on it Tigertron paged the base via radio.

"Optimus come in, this is Tigertron.

"This is Optimus, go ahead."

"The she-spider said it was a poison that attacks the muscular system, she had the antidote, but she threw the vile. We where able to save a little bit of it, but I'm not sure it'll be enough to save her.."

Optimus sighed. "Thank you Tigertron. That's all for now." The transmission ended. "Rhinox, don't bother testing her, this new body is going to be the only thing that can save her, and I need your help, time is running out."

Dinobot then suddenly got up from his seat by one of the stations.

"Hm? Where are you going Dinobt?" Cheetor asked.

"To solitude.." was Dinobots simple reply, heading to his quarters near the back of the ship.

Something like an half hour later a robotic figure was standing near the table Snow Stalker was laying on. It was silver and blue, with white leopard spotted fur, a green stoned necklace on it's neck, and another stone in a teara on her forhead, on it's back was a cape with the tail spots of a leapord, the shoulders looked like what might be the beast forms ears, stratched to make shoulder armor. For a weapon, in it's hand was a silver whip. Around it's waist was the paws for its beast form, from the waist down was the beast forms normal hind-quarters.

"What'd ya think? Not too shabby is it?" Rattrap said proudly.

"How about you Cheetor? I think it'd fit her nicely." Rhinox asked.

"Ya I can see her running around in it already." the yellow cat approved.

"Alright, start the process then.." Optimus commanded softly.

Rhinox nodded, and put on a doctors mask and gloves. He then grabbed a small hand saw.

~I'll spare everyone the gore and skip this part.~

Rhinox closed the lid of the feline's new body head after installing the brain capsule. Rhinox then grabbed a small knife, then placed it on the leopards fleshy chest, pressing down just enouph so it'd cut the surface.

~ya I wanted to see how many would get scweemish just at that.~

Rhinox closed another small latch on the new body, this one on the left side of it's chest."There." Rhinox said, taking off his now bloody gloves. "The heart capsule is installed, now all that's left is to get her to wake up again." He said coolly. "That is if she can just open her eyes.. flip the switch Rattrap."

Rattrap rubbed his hands together. "Woo, whoo, this is my favorite part, so long as this works anyway." Rattrap flicked a small switch connected to the robotic body, a serge of electricity flowed threw the robotic body, Snow Stalker's new eyes glowing a bright green.

"AAHHH!" She screamed, clenching her fists.

"Stop, That's enough!" Cheetor demanded. "She's awake!"

The electricity died, Snow Stalker was left there panting, looking around, seeing things threw new eyes, literally.

"What the?" She looked down to her hands, they where thin and had long sharp nails.

"now it seems I'm fainting, all my dreams are not not worth saving. Seems your wanting me to stay, but my dreams would surely waste away, and it seems I have no where else to go, purge me under, pull me further, take me all the way, take me all the way." 


	2. Chapter 2: A New Point Of View

"What is this? What's going on? Am I dreaming?" Snow Stalker said, looking panicked and confused. Her new robot body was covered in short length fur except for her stomach and the top parts of her arms which where all a sky blue, The hinges of her arms where also visible and where a few shades lighter then grass, Leopard spots covered most of her fur, Around her neck was a necklace that looked much like her former collar with the same green gem that matched her eyes, even her new eyes where the same shade of green as those of her fleshy body.

"Snow Stalker Your awake!" Cheetor said excitedly, and released the bindings that held her body to a rotating bed after it was in the up-right postion.

Her silver face turned to Cheetor. "Dad what, what did you do?"  
At that moment the cheetah softened. "We made you a robotic body, if we didn't, you where going to.." Cheetor trailed off. "I'm sorry, are you mad? We wanted to ask, but you where out.."

"Your new body will take some getting use to, but it was all we could do." Optimus chimed in.

The leopard nodded, still trying to except her new reality. "I.. I think I need sometime to think about this.. " She said softly, turning towards the exit.  
"Hey, wait! Go and see Dinobot, he's in his room, you might wanna let him know your still alive." Rattrap suggested.

"I will in my time.. I'll be back." With that Snow Stalker steppied on the elevator, and went out side.

She walked for miles, and soon found her self having energon serge's. "Ra! What in tarnation? Oh ya, Beast mode!" Her gears shifted and took the form of a snow leopard.

"You learn fast don't you?" A familiar voice said softly. "Optimus said I should come and watch after you. He tells me you're having trouble excepting the new body."

She growled. "I don't need watching over.. " She turned around and started walking away from the tiger.

"Well permit me to give you an ear to hear perhaps?" He said, taking a few steps with her.

She sighed and turned back, walking a few steps to him. "I just wish I was given a choice.. That's all, and I'm mad that I was so weak to get in such a mess in the first place, I failed my training." Her ears folded back and her head hung low, looking away from Tigertron.

"So long as you put your whole heart into it, then you have nothing to be ashamed of. I'm sure you'll do better next time," He then rubbed his head against hers, and she did back.

"Thanks, that does help a little." She gave him a small smiled, and he returned it.

"Come with me." He said, turning around. He lead her up a small hill, and stopped on top of it. It was now night, and the stars where out, along with both moons. "When I first set foot on this world, my circuits where damaged, still are. But I felt like I was in the wrong body, when I felt like more tiger, then robot. I finally have achieved balance between both forms and it has improved my life and spirit." He said looking up to the sky.

"Do you think you can teach me how to reach this balance?" She asked curiously and inspired.

"I can, but you must find it within yourself to except the new form you have been given." He looked back down to her, then back to the sky. "It's a gift, your comrads didn't want to loose you, so they gave you a new form, consider it a gift."

She nodded, and thought on these things quietly after sitting down. She looked to the sky, the stars where abundant and she found that she could zoom in on them. "They're beautiful, even more so now then before."  
"This world is filled with natural beauty." The tiger purred, he turned to Snow Stalker. "It is nice to have someone new to share it with. I doubt you know this, but I once knew a tiger named Snow Stalker."

She turned to him and blinked. "Really?"

"Yes, she is the reason for my beast form. You remind me a lot of her. she was beautiful, smart, and courageous." He said looking up to the sky once again. "I'm glad her name lives on with such a fitting cat."

Snow Stalker smiled and stood up. "Thank you Tigertron, I think I'm ready to head back now." She rubbed her head on his chin, and headed back towards the base.

"Take care kitten."

"Of course big cat" She smiled back at him before continuing on.

Once she returned to the maximal base, she apologized for her ungratefulness.  
"I'm sorry everyone. I should have been more grateful, you saved my life, thank you." She said bowing her head.

"Hey don't sweat it, I would probably have acted the same way." Cheetor reassured her, patting her shoulder.

"Hey where's Chopper-face? He still ain't seen the kitten's new suit." Rattrap pointed out.

"I know, I'll go surprise him!" Snow Stalker said mischievously and silently headed for Dinobot's room.

Optimus and rhinox watched in amusement.

The door was closed as she approached, she knew if she truly wanted to surprise him, she'd have to have perfect timing and pounce the moment those doors opened. The door opened as she stepped in front of them, seeing Dinobot facing away from her in his battle mode, she sprung at him. In slow motion, Dinobot hearing the doors looked back behind him, seeing her, his expression changing from what seemed a sad, melancholy frown, to wide-eyed in surprise, as he started to try to dodge her pounce. Snow Stalker nailed her pray, after the two of them tumbled to the ground, she laughed, quietly at first, then it grew louder as she sat up on her teacher.

"Did you miss me?" She smiled and giggled.

Dinobot groaned, pushing her off of him and sat up. "How are you.. even alive?" He got up, crouching in front of her, analyzing her. "Something.. seems different, you have an actual maximal energy signature. You.. are a robot!" He said standing up, his hand under his chin, looking down at her.

"Yep, and watch this! Snow Stalker Maximize!" She said aloud, parts of her rearranged, soon reveiling her battle mode. her neck was silver, and had the same sky blue as her arms and stomach, same with the metal that covered the back of her head. On top it was a darker blue, that looked much like a cap with a silver head band of sorts with a green gem matching the one on her necklace and eyes, behind her was a fur cape, covered with the same black spots as her beast mode's tail, and in her hand was a silver whip, sleek and simple.

Dinobot nodded, his claws still under his chin, making him appear as if he was studying her, which he was. "Interesting... To put an organic mind into circuitry is cunning and brilliant."

She smiled and crossed her arms. "I think we may have to test it out with a sparing match, don't you agree?"

Dinobot laughed. "I agree wholeheartedly." His toothy grin crossed his faced, "Though I think we shall have to save it for tomorrow, it is late and I'm sure there is still more you need to learn about your new body."  
"Oh fine, have it your way then." She sighed, tossing her whip lazily over her shoulder and turned for the door.

"It's good to see your alright." Dinobot said as she went to leave. She stopped, and turned back around, walking up to him, and wrapped her arms around him as much as she could.  
"Thank you, I'm glad too."

Taken off guard Dinobot looked around, with his free arm, patted her on the head awkwardly. "Err, you should go ." He tried to reason.

She laughed lightly, "Ya you're probably right." She let him go, and walked out the door. "Good night Dinobot." The door closed behind her, and he stood there, and shuttered, rubbing his arm that had been pinned by her hug, but then softened just a little. "Maximal sentiment, I must surely be defective." 


	3. Chapter 3: Unanswered Questions

The next morning Cheetor and Snow Stalker where awakened by the sound of alarms just after something hit the ship. "We're under attack! Come on, gotta fly!" Cheetor exclaimed after jumping off of his bed and ran out to the command center room.

Snow Stalker soon followed, slowly at first, it wasn't much different from her old body really when she awoke. Because of the fact she still had a flesh and blood brain, she still needed sleep, and was still groggy when she awoke, there for she couldn't command her body the way she could once fully away. Once she was able to finally make it out of her own bed, which was one the other side of the room from her Dad's, she joined everyone in the main section of the ship.

"So how are we going to get those neighbors off our lawn?" Cheetor asked Rhinox as he transformed and sat at his station next to the larger robot.  
"We should engage and destroy them!" Dinobot said, slamming his fist against the circular table, as he did he transformed into battle mode, sword and shield in his left hand.

"No, we need to have a plan!" Optimus said firmly.

"You two always have this argument.." Snow Stalker sighed, hanging her head, shaking it, exhausted by the two already. The base continued to shake as predicons proceed with their attack, though the shields where holding, it was only a matter of time before they would start to fade.  
"The more time we spend in here, the weaker the shields become. We must defeat them before they break through!" Dinobot insisted, taking a step closer to the commander.

"I know that Dinobot, but we also need to be smart about it. If we wait, then the predicons will have less energy to use on us, and so making it easier to drive them away."

"Ah I see, good thinking big bot." Cheetor said, turning his seat around and moved forward, now next to Optimus.

"Looks like we got Tarantulas, Scorpanock, and Blackaraknia. No sign of Grape-face." Rattrap pointed out. "Looks like we got about 2 clicks before the shields start fading, so eh, feel free to start scrappin' them preds."

"I know which one I want." Snow Stalker growled, stretching out her claws.

"You have the eliminate of surprise if you remain in beast mode." Dinobot suggested, turning for the elevator.

"Oh, and do us all a favor and don't get scraped this time." Rattrap said in a whiny tone.

"Ya ya ya, don't worry about it, I'm the new Snow Stalker remember? They don't have a clue what I've got in store for them." She then hopped down the open elevator shaft.

"Ha, can tell who she takes afte'" Rattrap commented, Cheetor grinned and shrugged, jumping into the elevator after it came back up, Rattrap following after him.

Once out side the maximals shot at the predicons, and ducked behind some rocks. Snow Stalker how ever, was stalking behind Tarantulas on a small cliff. She was focused on her target, getting set to pounce. 'How should I scrap this guy?' She thought to herself, having mastered how to keep all of her thoughts from being announced. 'I must make this quick though before he sees me.. Though if I just attack him here, then I might just have a repeat of the last time.' She shook her head. "I must grasp victory while it's within my grasp!" She suddenly said allowed, catching Tarantulas's attention just before she pounced, allowing him to side step her attack.

"Ah, the kitty came back for more play time, eh?" Tarantulas pointed his gun in her direction and fired a shot. The leopard jumped out of the way and jumped at him, not paying any mind to the shots going on around them. Landing on her target, she chomped on his breast-plate, and ripped it off. Tarantulas screamed in agony, gripping at the open circuits .

"How are you so strong? No mere animal could be so strong!" He activated the guns located at the ends of his spider legs. Snow Stalker roared as the shots hit her. Jumping off of Tarantulas, she turned to face him again. "I'm just full of surprises! Snow Stalker, maximize!" With that her secrete was revealed. Tarantulas stopped and admired the new robot.

"Very interesting, very interesting indeed, Eh he he he.." The spider chuckled, and shouted aloud. "Beast mode!" Turning into a tarantula, and spun around, shooting a web from his abdomen, pinning her to the ground.

Roaring in disapproval, Snow Stalker struggled against the web, then realizing she had claws on her robotic fingers, she cut the web, just in time to see Tarantulas disappear over the rocks, as did the rest of the predicons. Snow Stalker growled as she watched the villains retreat, stomping the ground with her heeled foot angrily. She turned back to her comrades as they all holstered their guns, Dinobot his sword. "He escaped! Again!" She exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air in frustration.

"Hey don't be so hard on yourself, at lest you weren't slagged like last time. Am I right?" Rattrap shrugged.

"I guess so.. " Snow Stalker replied grudgingly.

"You will get your chance, there is always next time." Dinobot then transformed into beast mode, and proceeded to scour the area, for what Snow Stalker wasn't sure.

"Ya ya, patience patience." Snow Stalker brushed off his advice.

"He's right ya know, if you get too wrapped up in Tarantulas's web, then you're going to be too distracted and end up on the wrong end of a predicon's weapon.." Cheetor then gave Snow Stalker a pat on her shoulder.

Snow Stalker sighed, " Ok Dad, I'll try to pay attention to All of the predicons.. You shouldn't worry so much though, your spots 'll turn grey." She smiled and playfully bumped her fist on his shoulder. "I gotta be going though, it's my turn to keep watch, see you guys." With that she transformed to beast mode, and went on her way to relieve Airrazor. Snow Stalker traveled some ways to get to the look out post, it was also on top of a tall mountain ridge, just out side of predicon territory.

Upon arrival, Airrazor greeted Snow Stalker like always. Airrazor was one of the nicest fem-bots she had ever met, though the only other fem-bot Snow Stalker had met was that Blackaracknia. Airrazor told the kitten that everything had been quiet in that sector.

"Well that's good, we had another attack on the base again." The leopard informed Airrazor.

"Why that's the third time this week! Those preds are awful bold these days, I wonder what they're up to."

"Ya me too," Snow Stalker looked to the horizon torwards the predicon's territory, " I would think they'd get tired of running away time and time again."

"Me too, I would think thy'd want to conserve on their energy, but I guess Meg's must have some reason for it." Airrazor assumed, she then flapped her wings, now air born. "Stay safe, and stay in beast mode as much as possible while you're out here, there's plenty of energon around, though it's not usable so normally not much that goes on." Snow Stalker nodded, evidently Tigertron must have told Airrazor of her new body With that Airrazor flew off, leaving the kitten by herself, though little did she know that she did indeed have company and not the friendly kind either.

"Eh he he, why lookie what we have here..A maximal all by her self.."

Snow Stalker jumped up the air, turning around to face her enemy. "Tarantulas!" She growled baring her teeth as the spider rubbed his legs together in front of him menacingly. "I thought something was a miss!"

"Oh but not in time to save yourself, Tarantulas terrorize!" The spider changed his form, and took aim at the snow leopard, and blasting her with it. With a yell she transformed, the projectile hitting her stomach, and lodged itself there. It was an all too familiar dose of vemon, but luckily she was no longer flesh, but then she started to cough and felt weak.

"I.. I should be immune to.. your venom.." She found herself struggling just to stand up straight, it quickly took hold, forcing her to kneel before the spider.

"Eha haha, fool. That's cyber-vemon," The spider stated, smiling as his prey soon was laying on the ground twitching in a silent agony. "I'm sure you've seen it's effects on your comrades before.. but no matter, you'll be ou.." Tarantulas's voice faded as did the sight of him as she sank into a familiar darkness.

"Like a a light, eh ha ha ha ha!" The spider laughed maniacally, shooting a web over his victim, and proceeded to drag her away to his layer.

Snow Stalker stirred away, her vision adjusted to the low lighting. She was in a cave of some kind, she saw display screens and a control counsel. She discovered that her wrists and ankles where bound as she laid on a metal table, like some kind of test subject about to get dissected .

"Ah, you're awake.. Eh he he.. wouldn't want you to miss this now do we?" An all too familiar voice said, she turned hearing his foot steps clank against the rock floor.  
"You, let me go!" She commanded, struggling against the bindings of energy.

"Hmm.. I, think, not." Just as he finished his sentence, he took out a cutting lazor, and started to cut next to her metallic face, leaving a scorch mark on the table. Yelling for her life, Snow Stalker moved her head away from the instrument as far as she possibly could. "Oh, what's the matter? I'm just going to find out what makes you tick.." The spider moved away from the table surprisingly. "I'm sure that you're curious as well.." Stepping to his computer, he brought up a sound file, the bars on the screen moved up and down with the volume of the voices on it.

"I have to ask, what do you mean by 'sense'?" The voice belonged to Rhinox.

"I can't tell you exactly how, I'm not really sure myself. Though I don't think I've always been able to do it." A sigh, it was her own voice on the recording now, Snow stalker vaguely remembered the conversation, it seemed like so long ago. "Sorry, I don't know more than that."

The recording ended. "How the Primes did you get that recording?"

Tarantulas made a movement to his head with his claw. "From right inside your data banks. I've learned quite a bit about you already, but not what I am truly curious about.. "

Suddenly a machine dropped down from the ceiling, a thin slit was across it's round face. A light emitted from this machine as it started to scan her slowly, up, then down. Snow Stalker looked to Tarantulas after the scan had completed. The spider typed away as information ran across the screen. She couldn't quit see what it said, but she saw the words "Alien signature" and an ex-ray of her body showed up on the computer, rotating, showing everything from every angle. "Hmm, very interesting..." Tarantulas turned and looked over his shoulder at the fem-bot, then turned right back to his work on the computer, hitting keys. Another screen popped up, magnifying a symbol that appeared to be branded on her brain. In another screen, an image of a golden disc showed up, a symbol on that was highlighted, and over lapped into the previous screen, the symbol was an exact match.

"Wha.. what does that mean?" She had heard of the aliens and the tests they had presented to the maximals and predicons alike. The trigger that Blackaraknia lusted after and failed to control, and the latest incidents at the standing stones.

"This my dear means that You are a result of alien tampering.. I knew a normal animal wouldn't be able to fight so well.." Another beam of light shined off the global shaped scanner, this time it was some how different, it seemed to tug at a part of herself, and her optical sensors glowed bright green.  
"Ah.. stop.. Taranculas.." She spoke brokenly as her eyes where nearly as bright as Dinobot's lazors.

The spider looked behind him, and noticed the screen briefly. "Hmm, it seems this wavelength has an effect on the alien's technology.. I'll have to remember this.. Just in case."

Suddenly Snow Stalker blacked out, but her body continued to move. Breaking free of the energy bindings, it sat up from the table. Seeing an error message on his screen, and alarms sounding Tarantulas looked back to the table to find Snow Stalker now standing next to the table she was once held to. "Ah, no!" He quickly turned back to his counsel, rapidly typing as she stepped closer, and was upon him, lifting her right arm over she knocked him away from the center.

Tarantulas grabbed his gun, and quickly started to fire in her direction, missing, missing, then finally landed a hit on her shoulder. She turned back to him and growled more angrily then before. Getting back up the spider started to turn tail to run, only to be hit in the back of the head by one of his very own flashlight spiders. He then fell to the ground, knocked out. 


	4. Chapter 4: A Cleared Mind

Days passed and nothing had been heard from the white kitten, Cheetor was the most worried out of everyone but things had occurred during her absence. The aliens had activated a moon sized lazor. Tarantulas had fashioned a status pod into a small ship, but had gotten vaped by Inferno after his plans for escape where discovered. Luckily his creation, Blackaracknia, who planned to save herself, finished his work. Her victory didn't last long over the stasis pod though, Optimus and his crew took control over the craft and formed a plan to save the earth. Optimus flew the craft in into the lazor, and was caught in the explosion that followed. The crew on the Axalon where devastated by the lose of their leader, but there was no time to grieve, a trans-wrap explosion ravaged the planet, and the transformers. Some had changed in appearance and strength. Megatron soon attacked the Axalon, taking advantage of the damage, chaos and grief of these events. After defending the base, Rattrap and Cheetor stood outside, Rattrap knocking out a few bolts that had been unscrewed by his collision with Cheetor.  
"You know ah, a few flying lessons wouldn't hurt." Rattrap told the now shiny cheetah.  
"You two alright?" Rhinox asked as he walked up to them, dinobot close behind.  
"Ya, ya, nothin' a hot oil bath won't cure, but if you ask me, the Beast Wars just got a whole lot weirda" Rattrap replied.  
After a moment of silence, Cheetor spoke up, his ear twitching slightly, looking in the direction of the water fall. "Did anyone else hear that?"  
"Hear what? the tons ah' water hitting the rocks?" Rattrap teased.

Cheetor walked closer to the ledge by "No, no, it was faint but it sounded like Snow Stalkers roar!" He exclaimed.

Tigatron stirred near the smaller cat-bot. "I heard.. it too.." He said weakly and transformed to beast mode.

"Then lets get a search party underway, we've got no time to lose." Rhinox ordered. "Rattrap, you and I will get Tigatron and Airrazor to the C.R. chamber, Dinobot, Cheetor, you two go investigate. Report back in one mega-cycle, got it?"  
"Man, you guys get all the fun." Rattrap whined as he picked up Tigatron like a large Labrador retriever.

It had been some time, and Cheetor and Dinobot still hadn't found any source of the sound that was heard earlier in the forest.

"This is a waste of my time!" The raptor growled, "Snow Stalker is probably dead and gone! We should be repairing the ship, not chasing the ghosts in a hopeless cat's mind!"

"Don't say that! Snow Stalker is out here some where, we just have to keep looking.." The young cheetah reputed, then something in the dirt caught his attention. "Hey, what's that?" Cheetor walked over to it, and examined the spot. It appeared to be a paw print, feline, a little on the large size, like a tiger's but there was a grey piece of fur in it.

Dinobot walked over to it and examined it as well. "It looks like one of Tigatrons paw prints, he frequents this area when he wishes to stalk prey" He growled, "He says it keeps his senses sharp.."

"Ya but look at this hair." Cheetor pointed with a paw. "It's grey, not white." Cheetor then leaned closer still to the print, and took a few sniffs.

"No one said Tigatron was the youngest of us.." The Raptor pointed out.

After a moment, Cheetor perked up. "I got the sent, come on!" He said jumping into a run. Dinobot sigh and shook his head, and ran after the cat. After a bit, Cheetor stopped, and sniffed the ground some more, there where many paw prints here, and hoof prints, signs of a struggle. Cheetor felt Dinobots claws on his head. "Hey, whats the.."

"Shh.." The Cheetah was cut off. Dinobot pointed, while staying low in the brush of the forest. Cheetor saw a snow leopard eating it's hard earned kill. It's back was to them, so it wasn't certain that it was her, Snow Stalker.

"That's gotta be her!" Cheetor whispered excitedly. "Why did you stop me?"

"Something isn't right," Dinobot growled, "why would she need to eat flesh? She's a robot like us, remember?"

"oh ya.. I wonder what she's doing then? I'm gonna go check it out." Cheetor said, exiting the brush quietly, and moved to see if he could get a better look. Her eyes where emerald green, and around the felines neck was a large round collar, the same green hue as her eyes. This confirmed his suspicions as to who she was, but not of what she was doing. "Hey-ya, Snow Stalker, where ya been?" He finally spoke, not sure how to approach his old friend.  
Snow Stalker, stopped mid-chew, and turned her head, growling. It wasn't her, in body it was anyway, but she wasn't herself. The leopard swallowed as she took to her feet, and growled angrily at the metallic cheetah.

"Hey, come on, it's me, Cheetor. Don't you remember?" Cheetor said, a little hurt at her reaction to him. The Leopard roared at him, baring her teeth at him.  
"Leave me alone! This is my meal!" She yelled aloud, revealing her ability to speak was still there.

"I'm not hear to eat your food!" Cheetor said shaking a paw at her, Dinobot then walked out of the bush, seeing that this wasn't going to end well.

Snow Stalker lept at Cheetor, knocking him over and tryed to bite his neck. As she went to do this, she was pulled off by Dinobot, already transformed now. After throwing her away, she landed on her feet. Dinobot unsheathed his sword, and entered a battle stance. The leopard growled at him, and too, was ready for battle. The image seemed familiar to Snow Stalker, but she shook it off, but she was now vulnerable to Dinobots next attack.

"Who are you, and where did you come from?" The raptor asked flatly, the leopards reply was only a soft growl. "Answer me!" Dinobot commanded with a snarl.

"I.. don't know.." Snow Stalker answered, her ears flattened and her eyes looked away.

"You really don't remember anything, do you?" Cheetor said softly, taking a step towards her.

"I woke up in the rocky area just out side of this forest.. That was some time ago now." Snow Stalker explained.

"Well we know who, and what you are." Dinobot explained.

"Ya, you're Snow Stalker, you're a Maximal, like us!" Cheetor chimed in. "I found you when you where just a kitten, and we took you in and raised you, not that Dinobot here was too thrilled at first." The cheetah elbowed Dinobot kiddingly as the Transformer growled in disgust. "Come on, we should get you to base and see if Rhinox can fix your brain." Curious and confused, Snow Stalker followed the two after Dinobot returned to beast form. 


	5. Chapter 5: Muddy Waters

Snowstalker and the other two bots made their way into the base. Once inside they where greeted by Rhinox and Optimus.

"Hey, look who we found." Cheetor said with a hint of joy in his voice.

"Snowstalker, it's good to see you safe and in one piece after all this time." Optimus greeted her warmly.

The snow leopard flattened an ear and stepped back, feeling a little over whelmed. "I'd say it's nice to be back.. but I fear I don't remember any of this.."

"It seems the feline has come down with a case of amnesia.." The former predicon warrior informed the commander. " She seems to remember nothing, not even Cheetor or" Dinobot paused and let out a growl, "myself."

"What do you think Rhinox? Any suggestions?" Opitmus looked to his old friend.

"Hmm," The scientist thought for a moment. "I don't know that much about flesh beings, let alone the characteristics of their brain, but maybe if you show her around, it'll trigger something." Rhinox suggested with a small shrug.

"That's a good idea! I'll show her around." Cheetor said. "Come on, I'll show you my personal quarters first, that's where we recharge our circuits." The leopard nodded and followed after the golden cat.

Once out of ear shot the 'adults' spoke amongst themselves. "Looks pretty sever, where did you find her?"

"Out in the forest beyond the falls. She claims to remember nothing, even how she got there, I have no doubt that her mind has been tampered with," He pause to let out a growl," by Megatron." Dinobot finished.

"That's a bit of an assumption , Dinobot. For all we know, the aliens could have something to do with this." Rhinox pointed out.

"Ya, or she just fell and hit her head on somethin'." Rattrap walked in, in beast mode, with an overly ripe apple in hand, all ready mostly eaten.

"No one asked for your opinion, vermin." Dinobot growled in dismay.

"Oh ya? Well excuse me!" The rat waved his paws mockingly, then tossed the core of his apple into his mouth.

Dinobot stepped towards the rat, and picked him up by the back of his neck. "You'd do best to watch your mouth, vermin, I might get hungry for rat on a stick." Dinobot threatened as Rattrap looked up at the formidable looking transformer, about three times his present size. After no answer from the mouse, Dinobot dropped him, and walked out of the command center.

Rattrap rubbed the back of his neck. "Geez, what crawled up his exhaust port?"

Rhinox looking a little surprised, shrugged without words.

~~~~ Meanwhile

Cheetor was showing his Snow leopard comrade around his room. The bed, the pictures of her and himself when she was still one hundred percent flesh, nothing was working. He had transformed in to his robot form to reach things and show them to her better as he sat on his bed.

"Hey, uh, Cheetor was it? Um, where we, uh, mates or something?" Snowstalker blurted out, a little fluffed, showing her embarrassment. "Cause there's a Lot of pictures of us together and, uh.." She trailed off.

"Whow, whow!" The bot waved his hands around desperately. "No, no, you got it all wrong! I raised you, I think of you kinda like a, a daughter, you know what I mean?" Cheetor tried to explain, now rubbing the back of his head.

"Oh, ok, I understand now, uh, Dad?" She forced a grin, and Cheetor patted her head.

Just then Dinobot stormed past the entrance of Cheetors open door. Then his foot steps stopped for a moment, then came back to the entrance. Cheetor and Snow stalker looked up at him curiously. "Hows the tour going so far?" Dinobot asked, trying not to seem the lest concerned.

"Eh, nothing big so far.. but we aren't giving up!" Cheetor looked down at Snowstalker, "Right?" Snowstalker smiled awkwardly, and nodded, then looked to Dinobot.

"Is he always like this?" She asked quietly.

"All maximals are this annoying, if that is what you mean." Was the warriors reply. Snowstalker chuckled, putting a paw to her mouth.

"Hey, I heard that! I'm gonna tell Optimus." Cheetor exclaimed.

"Oh, I'm so scared." Dinobot said with sarcasm, and left the two alone.

Only a click or two later, Dinobot was, yet again, being followed by Snowstalker. "I like you, what was your name again?" She said cheerfully.

Dinobot growled, and rolled his optics. "Dinobot." Was his only reply.

"Dinobot, Dinobot, hmm. Nope, doesn't ring a bell." Snowstalker said as she tried to recall her diminished memories.

The large Cybertronian stopped in front of Snowstalker, and turned around. "You really can't remember Anything, can you?" He said inquisitively.

Taken off guard, the leopard shook her head, but then stopped. "Except, when we where in the forest, something about your stance was familiar."

"hmm, I think I know what we must do then.." Dinobot said with a finger under his chin. 


End file.
